Saturday, June 9, 2012

Christmas Quilt-A-Long…Part 3…The Recipe

My family would cancel Christmas if these treats weren’t on our table!  They are sinfully delicious…and are chock full of calories but let me tell you, they are SO worth every single one!  I have to warn you that they are sweet…personally, I think they are best served with a cup of coffee but my kids eat them with anything and everything!

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Hey, there is even a video on line on how to make these treats!!  Yup, you got to love the net!!

Nanaimo Bar Recipe

Bottom Layer
½ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup sugar
5 tbsp. cocoa
1 egg beaten
1 ¼ cups graham wafer crumbs
½ c. finely chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds
1 cup coconut

Melt first 3 ingredients in top of double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, coconut, and nuts. Press firmly into an ungreased 8" x 8" pan.

Second Layer
½ cup unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. and 2 Tsp. cream
2 Tbsp. vanilla custard powder
2 cups icing sugar

Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar together well. Beat until light. Spread over bottom layer.

Third Layer
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate (1 oz. each)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, but still liquid, pour over second layer and chill in refrigerator.

A Nanaimo Bar fact…

The city of Nanaimo (about 45 minutes up island from where I live) has claimed these squares as their own, telling us on their website that it all began when a Nanaimo housewife entered a recipe for chocolate squares in a magazine contest some 35 years ago. She called her recipe 'Nanaimo Bars' when she won the contest.  Not only did her dessert become popular throughout Canada, so did the town they were named after. These no-bake, three layered bars are famous for a reason, they are delicious. They start with a crumb base, followed by a layer of light custard buttercream, and the crowning glory is a smooth and glossy layer of semi sweet chocolate.

   
Hope you like this recipe…you might have to DOUBLE the recipe, which is what I do every year!  Be warned..the kids will want to take home the left overs!

7 comments:

  1. Oh my, Paulette, those look good. Very interesting history of how they were developed. I wish I had one right now.

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  2. I would like some of those, please! Just make room on the plate, and pass me another napkin or two.

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  3. These bars will be auditioned for my family's Christmas bake/make candy day.

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  4. I have eaten many Nanaimo bars but have never made them...your recipe may become my Christmas favorite!

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  5. Aren't you lucky to find such a beautiful quilt in the back of the closet!! The Nanaimo Bars look like they are going to become one of our family favorites too!

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  6. In our house, anything chocolate goes so this will probably be a big hit ..... right on my hips. But that never stopped me before! Will give it a whirl when i get home.

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  7. I love Nanaimo Bars but have not had a good recipe to work with - this looks marvellous. Thanks!

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